Biking Bis - Bicycle Touring and More

Fastest way to get around Vegas at CES? Bicycle

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 10:44:45 -0800

While the big suits of the electronics industry waited in traffic in their limos, taxis and rented cars last week, analyst Roger Kay found the easiest way to get around Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show was by bike.

The first thing Kay did when he landed in Las Vegas was rent a Cannondale mountain bike, which he used to speed from his hotel to meetings or to the convention floor.

CES is spread out between two convention sites (including the Sands Expo Center, home of Interbike) and dozens of hotels where industry gurus take meetings. Instead of spending up to an hour waiting for buses, taxies or just plain walking, Kay made the rounds on his bicycle...

Protein waters explained and compared

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 10:36:46 -0800

I've noticed some heavy print and online advertising -- including at this blog -- for protein waters. They're generally touted for body builders who want to bulk up and endurance athletes like bicyclists who want to shorten recovery time.

In a recent article, the LA Times examines four brands -- Accelerade, Isopure, Kellogg's Special K 2 O, and Stacker 2 Protein Water.

Nancy Clark, the sports nutrionist, says it's easy to add extra protein to your diet, even for endurance athletes and body builders, without resorting to buying water with protein added ...

93-year-old fitness guru -- Jack LaLanne

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 10:05:28 -0800

Before Chris Carmichael started advising Lance Armstrong or we had the Scarsdale or South Beach diets, people watched Jack LaLanne on TV to learn about diet and exercise.

Here's what the 93-year-old is saying now:

"Exercise is king. Nutrition is queen. Together, you’ve got a kingdom. If you have a Corvette, you don’t put water in the tank. The human machine deserves the same treatment. No cake, pies, ice cream, soda. Your hair is out of shape. Your skin is terrible. Your elimination is bad. The wrong fuel in the human machine does that. ...

"Would you give your dog a cup of coffee and a doughnut?" ...

Prevent those common colds from interfering with bicycling

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Ever since kids arrived on the scene in this household, fall has been the time of year when my head starts feeling congested and before I know it I'm suffering from a cold.

But considering myself a hard-core cyclist, I ride my bike through my illness. Then, more often than not, the cold turns into bronchitis or a sinus infection and that's the end of my fall bicycling for a couple of weeks.

I've run across some recommendations lately at UltraRob's Adventures blog and from trainer Chris Carmichael about how to prevent and control those colds and at least keep them from turning into something worse...

Bicycle touring might be in the stars for you

Gene Bisbee — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 08:00:00 -0700

This might seem a little odd, but there's an exercise book that recommends workouts based on your astrological sign.

"Zodiaction: Fat-Burning Fitness Tailored to Your Personal Star Quality" was written by TV fitness personality Ellen Barrett and astrologer Barrie Dolnick.

A newspaper story summarized findings for the different signs of the Zodiac and told which exercises were most appropriate for each group. Which signs are aligned with bicycling? ...

Doctor's orders: No bicycling for at least five days

Gene Bisbee — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 08:00:00 -0700

As you can imagine, I was a bit surprised when my doctor told me to stay off the bicycle for five days.

Bicycling keeps my resting heart rate below 60, it has beat my family's history of high blood pressure, and it makes me happy and sane.

The problem was that my prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests have been running a little "hot" lately. They've been creeping up, and my general practitioner recommended I see a urologist to follow up. When that specialist learned that I ride 75 to 100 miles a week, he ordered me off the bike for at least 5 days until I get another blood test for PSA.....

How far can you ride your bicycle in 24 hours?

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 10:00:00 -0700

Forget about the dishes in the sink. Forget about mowing the lawn and posting your blog. Forget about sleep. If you had 24 hours, how far could you ride your bicycle?

More than 400 bicyclists met at the National 24-Hour Challenge last weekend near Grand Rapids, Michigan, to seek the answer to that question. It was the 24th meeting for the event.

Seattle resident Craig Ragsdale, 29, learned he could set the course record by covering 502.6 miles. Just as amazing, 67-year-old Dave Thomsen of Austin, Minnesota, bicycled 403.9 miles. ...

The bicycle seat built for a 500-pound rider

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:00:00 -0700

A new mail order catalog for overly large people features, among other things, a bicycle saddle with a 500-pound capacity.

The East Valley Tribune (Phoenix) mentions the saddle in a story about branding a catalog for Casual Male XL, the nation's biggest chain of clothing and accessories for men's-plus sizes.

Apparently the company has jettisoned the names "big and tall" and "supersize" because of the negative connotations those names imply. In addition to extra large clothing, the stores and catalogs offer heavy-duty lawn chairs, extra wide toilet seats and more. ...

May bike mileage moanings: It must have been something I ate

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 11:38:45 -0700

My efforts to save gas money, curb global warming, stay fit and have fun by riding a bicycle paid off in May to the tune of 355 miles.

I feel that I could have done more, but there was a family camping trip and some lower g.i. problems that impeded by progress over Memorial weekend. ...

14 ways to avoid and treat saddle sores from bicycling

Gene Bisbee — Thu, 03 May 2007 05:00:00 -0700

Warmer weather and longer bike rides are right around the corner for many of us, which means sore, blistered butts are also around the next bend.

It's easier to get an idea how to avoid saddle sores when you understand what causes them. Basically it all starts with logging miles.

Even for cyclists who distribute their weight between the handlebars, pedals and saddle, there's a good deal of friction between the butt and the bicycle seat that irritates the skin. This is bad enough, and you'll want to start treatment right now. ...